By Nina Halverson and Megan Wagner Art can

* By: Nina Halverson and Megan Wagner

*Art can be seen as a social communication system; it is a way of sharing our inner thoughts with others. *Art that is created at school is usually a social event: students work side by side, comment and compare, and the sharing of ideas. *It is important to take advantage of the natural socialization to build on social skills. *

* The art environment is social: creating art can be motivating and relaxing. Should be a place to flourish the environment and open to diverse ideas. * Art introduces students to other cultures: deals with visual images and culturally based art. Must address cultural differences as they seek to understand how people with different backgrounds have created art. * The language of art is open to all: art is a language that is available to everyone. All students can participate fully in art activities. *

*Adapt the physical environment and instructional methods to best match each student’s needs *All students are unique and teachers must change lessons to create situations that benefit each child *Teachers must address: * Making art program accessible to all students * Opening student minds to accepting and welcoming diversity *

*Research and read about the specific disability *Acquire special tools or materials that are needed *Meet with special education teacher (if applicable) to discuss IEP or other needs *Prepare the classroom environment with students’ needs in mind *Meet with student prior to class and discuss the adaptations *

*The classroom should model the diversity found in the student population and our society: be fair, mirror a diverse society, celebrate the uniqueness of students, and choose books and pictures that expand student horizons *Lessons must reflect concern with the fair treatment of all and teach students to value differences: build a cohesive class, use cooperative structures, prohibit put-downs, respect all cultures *

* Feeling exist and we must recognize that they affect everything our students do, including the way the manifest their artistic expression. * Teachers should… * Encourage children to share their personal feelings * Provide models * Examine how feelings are expressed artisitcally * Provide opportunity to create art daily * Welcome fantasy *

* Teachers need to be flexible and open to all cultures. They must be knowledgeable about and open to including books, information and artwork that reflects the native cultures of the students, without bias. * Cultural Respect Guide * Fairness: Provide a balanced view of all subject matter * Relevance: Relate teaching content to the cultural backgrounds of all students * Versatility: No one teaching strategy meets the needs of all students. * Cooperation: The use of cooperative learning strategies have been shown to promote intergroup respect and tolerance. *

* Fairness: Whose holiday should be the focus? Not everyone celebrates the same holiday. * Choices: * Students can study and celebrate the holidays of everyone in the classroom * Students can research holidays, and their decorations and symbols, in the contest of learning about another country or culture. * Holidays can be integrated into an instructional unit based on a common theme. Study of light: Chanukah, Christmas, and winter solstice. *

*What is the instructional purpose for creating artwork in honor of a holiday? * Share feelings * Do research * Make a mural * Link personal beliefs * Ask aesthetic questions *

*The prevalence of certain holiday symbols often limit students’ ability to create their own. *Ways to expand approaches: * Analyze the purpose of symbols * Investigate the meaning of symbols * Study the role of the symbol in art * Research historical change * Display variations *

*It is important to expose children to a wide variety of art forms. * Emphasize similarities among people * Emphasize cultural distinctness * Show human variability * Represent social realties *

* Cooperative activities are tasks for which having group participation is a key asset for everyone in the group. * Successful cooperative activities should meet the following guidelines: * Have more than one answer or path to the solution. * Be motivating and challenging to all students. * Result in a worthwhile product, not points or a grade. * Require the use of many different abilities and skills. *

Pair/Team formation structures: Used to quickly form random pairs or teams that will work on short-term, immediate tasks such as discussion or exploration of a new material. * Circle Friends * Line-up partners * Puzzle pals * Corners Sharing structures: Designed to allow students to share ideas and information in a context that fosters a close learning atmosphere. * Partner/Team discussion * Circle share * Go ‘round * Team Portraits * Heads Together *

* Application Structures: Designed so that students must use vocabulary, concepts, or skills to complete the task. * Math-up buddies * Sticky notes * Experts in action * Jigsaw * Describe it * All for one *Viewing Structures: Allows students to look carefully at one another’s work done either individually or by a team and give feedback in a positive way. * Gallery Tour * Roving reporters * Memorable work

*“In the beginning developing social awareness and mutual respect is more important than the actual content of the activity. ” *When students become familiar with the roles they are responsible for, and the behavior that is expected of them, teachers become the facilitators rather than the disciplinarians. *Skills to focus on: * Positive feedback * Reaching consensus * Conflict resolution *

*In a school setting, murals often are referred to as any large artwork done by a group of students. *Murals often consist of parts or tasks contributed by each group member. *Set a task that is open ended and has many possible solutions. *

*Select Familiar art materials: * Choose materials which everyone has had successful experiences with. *Choose familiar topics: * Topics and themes should reflect what students already know something about or have been given time to research. *Control Group Size: * It is better to start in pairs or groups of three. Ensure that lots of modeling of expectations occur. *

*Ideal for students who are making a mural for the first time. *Goes from their experiences, and provides a way to model how to make a decision on placing items on the mural. *Have students collect items that relate to theme being covered. *Ideas for collection murals: * Leaves, pebbles, dried weeds, or other nature items from a walk in the woods. *

*Each student or small group is given an identical square piece of paper. *On the square the students create a piece artwork that reflects the topic or theme that is being covered. *When everyone is done with their square, the students work together to put the final product together. *

*Establish a theme or topic for the unit. *Have students create individual drawings, paintings, or cut pictures from magazines. *When students have completed their piece have them share what they made in small groups. *Be sure that students are aware that their piece will be added to the group mural. *

* Process is more complex. * Guidelines for painted murals * Motivation must be high * Decide on the content * Form small groups * Gather visual data * Develop painting skills * Practice negotiation * Make a cartoon * Plan the colors * Organize work teams * Record the process * Celebrate * :

*There are many other group projects that spark children's’ imagination. * Body Shapes: Trace each others bodies and cut out the shape to paint. * Box Self-Portraits: Have students make shadow boxes from construction paper or tag board. Have them fill the box with items that describe themselves. * Light Wall: Give each student a clear zip-lock bag to fill with transparent papers and other materials tat allow light to pass through. Tape bags to a glass window to create a wall of light. *